Sell the East Coast to SWMBO

Vamoose said:
And long may it remain so - it keeps the crowds away !
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That is the job of the mud - and a fine job it does too. The mud is beautiful, kind to fine old boats, a doughty friend when you need a quiet night at anchor, a bountiful larder for a multitude of birds, a soft resting place for the seals, a great leveller (no-one who is covered in it can feel superior to their fellow man), an encouragement to those who prefer contemplative repose to riotous runs ashore and a positive wonder at discouraging Hooray Henries and Henriettas.

Mud, I salute you! :)
 
grumpy_o_g said:
What's not to like?
Burnham is a glorious (and expensive)
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Well said Grumpy although as a resident of Burnham for over 30 years I must correct the expensive bit

Housing in Burnham are less than anywhere else around.
Swinging mooring in Burnham c/w launch service <£20 PW for 28 ft boat.. Expensive ?
PLUS
The Dengie Hundred is the least densly populated area in South East England.
Burnham has a direct rail link to London.
We have 10 sharp bends on the very slow road into Burnham which keeps all but the
most detemined visitor (and motorbikes on Sunday mornings) well away.
Wide range of social clubs activities etc. See http://www.burnhamreview.co.uk/
Walk along the high street in the morning , most people will usually say Good morning
or smile.

OH ! And we have a very active Rugby club

But PLEASE dont tell anyone else we want to keep it that way !
 
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I grew up cruising on the east coast, and my dad still keeps a boat there, so I know it very well. I was probably 18 before I'd ever seen more than 20m on an echo sounder!

These days I live and sail in Southampton.

This may be against the general tone of this thread, but I prefer the South coast. I think it might be an age thing, but the crowds of the Solent don't bother me and there's always something interesting out on the water to marvel at.

Yes parts of the east coast are achingly beautiful, especially if isolated and rugged are your thing, but then so are plenty of South coast harbours.
And if you like your racing, the Solent really is the obvious place to be.

In terms of selling it to SWMBO, some good advice above, but I'll add some don'ts.

Don't sail through the Wallet Spitway in F6 wind over tide until she's already sold.
Don't push your luck with offshore sandbanks - nothing more likely to put anyone off an area than being aground out of sight of land.
Don't try and get ashore at pin mill when the tide is below the end of the hard. That mud is not friendly!
Don't suggest tacking up the Crouch to Burnham at the end of a long sail unless you're manning the sheets. And have a reservation for dinner in one of the better restaurants.
Don't attempt the entrances to the Deben or Alde in a fresh onshore breeze first time.

Hope that helps!
 
From another exile: I learnt to sail at St Peter's Comprehensive school sailing club, in Burnham in the mid seventies.
If you like Chichester harbour, then you'll like the Crouch and the Blackwater: mud and tides, seabirds and seals. There's more boats and fewer seals in Chichester, but I like them both for the same reasons.
As for where to live, Burnham's been well covered by Vamoose (although I thought it wasn't a direct rail link, and you had to change at Wickford?)
The closer you get to Wickford (and thus Basildon) the cheaper the housing is likely to get. Lovely place, Basildon. [/lie mode]
What's Woodham Ferrers like these days?
 
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